How Culture Drives Behaviours | Julien S. Bourrelle | TEDxTrondheim

Julien argues how we see the World through cultural glasses. By changing the glasses you can change the way you interpret the World.

Julien is the founder of Mondå, a project that helps Norwegians benefit from cultural diversity while supporting talented foreigners in their efforts to adapt and connect with Norway. He is educated as an astronautical engineer and is currently completing a doctoral degree in Norway. He is originally from Canada and speaks English, Norwegian, French and Spanish. He has been active in higher education policy at the European level, at the national level in Norway and locally at different institutions. He became the first foreign board member of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Other positions include the Norwegian national research committee (UHR), the board of the national Norwegian doctoral organisation and the presidency of NTNU’s doctoral organisation.

[peterarthur]

Tremendous TED Talk. Anybody who has lived in a foreign culture without much preparation in terms of what to expect (language, norms, etc.), such as oneself, can relate to this. Being a global citizen is exceedingly challenging, culturally speaking!

[doxgaming-gojz]

"It’s not about what u see its about what u perceive" won my heart

[mengyunjin]

"The lens through which your brain sees the world shapes your reality". we get to know the surroundings through our culture glasses, shaped by our backgrounds. It's important to learn the specialties of diverse cultures, such as social distance and politeness.

[ipodmaster]

Norway practicing social distancing before there was a pandemic

[valerietan]

As an international student doing placement in Sydney, this video is absolutely amazing. I’ve been in the country for 2 years, literally struggling to understand how to interpret what people is saying, understanding social norms and cues. This video would have been great if I had it in the beginning 🎉😂

[melodytomlinson]

I believe that culture is so often confused with 'racism' and we are behaving not out of dislike for another race, but simply as a result of our cultural programming....making us feel uncomfortable with different behaviours. When not understood much tension arises.

[cuentafalsa]

As a peruvian, i really apreciate silent moments with friends. I was used to them in Perú. But here in Spain those moments seem to do not exist. People here get akward if you dont talk or they think youre uncomfortable.

Im writing this because this dude said that most of us wouldnt compenhend the scandinavian point of view of a friendship. Well, maybe the scandinavians are a LOT more silent, but we southamericans can get comfortable with being in total silent next to friends.

[Tomoki-K]

Great lecture! Thank you, Julien.

I find this idea very interesting. It's something that I've often overlooked when encountering cultural differences. We all see the world through our own cultural perspective, which can lead to misunderstandings.

Recently, I have been learning tips to apply cultural anthropology to businesses.

I could receive a lot of tips from this great lecture!

[paulkelley]

I`m glad my teacher made me watch this, for as this video explains the culture differences it helps me to understand even further my own culture

[DetrickRoberson-lc]

It's impossible to stress the role that culture plays within humanity. 90%, values, beliefs, ideas, is unseen, while 10% is seen—tangible artifacts. We are acculturated situationally/contextually throughout our lives as we are constantly learning from those around us.

It allows us to speak in terms of norms for any group, society, or nation, although there are other broad categories such as individualist vs collectivist cultures & ambiguity avoidance & certainty preference vs ambiguity tolerance vs low need for certainty cultures.

As a whole, and we are talking about groups, culture is the single most important determinant of behavior for in-group members.

[elhamhosseini]

That was amazing! Cultural glasses, the best term used for different perceptions we get from cultural differences.

[zkdwkoj]

the diversity in these lenses are perfect for culture building. We grow more from these interactions with our individual lenses on because we begin to question the standards that are set on our personal lenses, make new opinions against or in support of them. Challenging and questioning even ourselves is important to mental growth.

[jedilady]

Your teachers who made you watch this has a crush on this guy

[josefinamagallanes]

Beautifully said, super brilliant, absolutely amazing; please take my words as compliments. American-Mexican woman with Puerto Rican children and Serbian husband.

[meleromelero]

So true and interesting what you say! Something similar happened to me yesterday!!! I grew up in North Carolina where nothing is more important than smiling, being friendly, and speaking in this protocol that basically says> If you are well educated, or not, you never ask a question until you have smiled, greeted the person with chit chat and then ask the question. After leaving NC I lived in Miami, and South American, learned Latin American Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese. Now I live in Madrid, Spain. I laughed that one of your talks you said people are friendly in Spain perspective is so interesting, bc `I've never heard anyone say that. I hear constantly that they are rude. Living here I've changed as well. Here's what happened.

After living in Spain and finding people here much less chatty and less friendly than the US Southern culture, and Latin America ''save Argentina' I too have become a bit drier. Yesterday I was looking for a street in downtown Madrid. A young man was hauling something that looked heavy on a cart, dolly thing. I figured he must do deliveries, he was not a tourist so he may know the street I was looking for. Thinking his load may be heavy I was trying to be considerate, take less time so not to bother him, and because after living in Spain I'm a bit more direct. I blurted out in Spanish, , , , Do you know where Calle Horteleza is? The boy stopped. Looked straight into my eyes and said very seriously, BUENOS DIAS. I knew right away he was South American and I was acting a bit barbaric for just blurting out a question. I smiled, he did not, and I said in Spanish, oh...it's because you are not from Spain. He said, You are not saying Good morning bc I'm not from Spain??? I said, no no no no....I didn't say good morning bc in Spain no one says that. But, you are totally right. The proper way to communicate is to first say good morning, excuse me, blah blah blah. I was rude. He said yes, you were. (certainly a New Yorker or perhaps someone from Norway would have thought I was too friendly...perspective.
I thanked him. I thanked him for reminding me of who I am. And, no he did not know where the street was. I liked the lesson.

Another point. In Spain they say HOLA only when you walk into a store. You think that is friendly. I am used to it now, but in the beginning I found it sort of rude, or uneducated, because I too am used to more formal greetings. Good afternoon, may I help you, how are you? etc. Hola to me sounded like, I am so annoyed you just waked in here and that I have to work here. Don't get me wrong. I love living here! However, after being married to a Spaniard for 20 years, I still feel totally offended if I say Would you like some water, and he says no, instead of no thank you. It is considered to me the rudest thing anyone can do. Crazy, huh? Changing my chip....

[MarkWright]

As a seasoned presenter Management Consultant and global professional in CQ this lecture is one I have huge argument with! What about industry type, generational gaps! Types of communication! This lecturer is obviously a theorist and has never implemented commercial on industrial change in any businesses across the globe!

[tambuko]

My teacher made we watch this but it was pretty interesting ngl.

[charleslane]

Sometimes the end does not justify the means. Discrimination is discrimination regardless of the term used to to justify it. People have a misunderstanding of equality.

[ahmedhashimvideo]

I had to stop by describing Norway as tiny little country and I found that it is almost the same size of the UK :) but no one usually describe UK as tiny little country, perhaps an island. I think the perception of country size is different when you live in big countries like Canada.

[scruvrl]

I think it is an interesting insight. It was what I had sometimes missed when I see differences. We all have our own cultural glasses differed from another culture. However, the important thing is that we should try not to have prejudice against differences. Of course, our perspective can be changed to theirs.
Also, I was interesting that behaviors haven't been made by chance. Someone's behaviors are affected by his or her circumstances involving lots of cultural factors. We should not judge other's behaviors through our own cultural glasses. Remember that to understand one's behaviors means to know their cultures more accurately.